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Item lost in post

Hi All
I had an auction finish on 26th June and I posted the item on the same afternoon. I'd advertised the item as postage by second class standard but once I'd packaged it up it was just ever-so-slightly too big for second class so I had to send it by standard parcels (at extra cost to me - it actually ended up costing me more to send it like that than the buyer had paid for the item but that's by-the-by I guess). On Tuesday I got a very abrupt email from the buyer saying the item hadn't arrived and could I provide proof that I'd actually sent it because it had been a week (it hadn't) and they were 'not impressed'. I explained when I'd posted it and that it wasn't being tracked as I'd stated in the auction that it was only to be sent by second class post. I also explained that I'd had to send by standard parcels instead but this shouldn't affect their receipt of the item because the expected delivery times are the same - usually by the 3rd working day but could be up to 6 days. I got another abrupt response back saying that they are always at home and the postman hasn't been and they don't 'expect this' kind of treatment!
My question is this.... do I now have to provide the buyer with a refund? Do I wait longer for the item to arrive before I refund or do I simply open up a dispute? I can't say I'm impressed by the buyers attitude but then again that is of no importance to this debate - as they say the customer is always right! Is it worth getting the negative feedback from the buyer or better to just refund the money? It's only about £4.60 so not a great amount but as it's the first time it's happened I just want to do the right thing.
Incidentally since this issue has arisen and since the buyer first contacted me and said it hadn't arrived they have also bid on another 2 of my items and won one of them yesterday so I've now posted another item off to them.
Any advice gratefully received as I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to stuff going missing and just want to go down the right channels.
Thanks

Comments

  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 73,421 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Your buyer is being hasty here even on my business account where the customer is always right I wouldn't be looking to refund before at least the second week from payment.

    Explain to them that it is early days yet, ask them to check with their sorting office in case the parcel has eneded up there and not gone out for delivery. All the while though stay polite and reassuring that they will not lose out here. If the buyer is difficult, and this is something i rarely do, scan a copy of the proof of posting across to them as a reassurance that the item went quite quickly after payment.

    However at some point you will have to refund if item fails to arrive, in that instance you will have to return the whole of their payment including postage paid. You can then use your proof of postage to reclaim item costs and actual postage paid from RM.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 73,421 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    One other point, too late i know but where a buyer is aggresive about somehting like this I would automatically add them to my blocked buyer list.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • rebeccauk
    rebeccauk Posts: 296 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Thanks so much for the advice. I'm glad it's not just me that thinks the buyer is being hasty! I did ask them to check with the sorting office in the first email because the parcel went with 'standard parcels' instead of second class it meant that a parcelforce postie would be bringing it rather than the regular RM on-foot postie so just wanted to draw their attention to that and that was when I got the response that they are home all day every day and wouldn't have missed the delivery! I've also explained that although RM do try to deliver by the 3rd working day after posting that it's not guaranteed therefore it could be several days after that and they will not provide any compensation but again I felt that landed on deaf ears. I'll treat this as a waiting game for now and contact the buyer again next week and inform them that I will refund in full if the item doesn't show after 2 weeks. The buyer didn't pay postage for the item - I had to offer free postage as it was in the fashion accessories category but I will refund all they paid for the item.
    I've now blocked them too so they can't buy from me again. Strange that they still bought another of my listings yesterday after all this had been going on.
  • kevinyork
    kevinyork Posts: 1,230 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    rebeccauk wrote: »
    I've now blocked them too so they can't buy from me again. Strange that they still bought another of my listings yesterday after all this had been going on.


    I had a buyer in Portugal buy two more items from me whilst pushing me about the delay in delivery for a previous item....guess what...none arrived and he put in non receipt Paypal claims for all three and won. Hope yours is not swinging the lead as well

    In my experience those that start to question where their items are in abrubt emails within a couple of days of dispatch regularly turn into problems and amazingly the items never ultimately arrive. I believe many actually get the item on day 1 or 2, see it hasnt been sent tracked and think they will pull a fast one so start firing off 'wheres my item' emails. This has definately increased since sellers could not leave negatives for buyers.
  • rebeccauk
    rebeccauk Posts: 296 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Oh dear... this doesn't fill me with much hope! Luckily both items only amounted to less than £10 put together so I might have to give out refunds and put this one down to 'experience' and at least I've nipped this buyer in the bud by stopping them bidding on any of my further auctions. If I do supply full refunds for both items which may or may not have turned up but we will never know can the buyer still give me negative feedback for asking them to 'hang on' before I gave the refund just to make sure that the item wasn't lost in the post?
  • steviebabes
    steviebabes Posts: 2,062 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I would have paid extra for recorded delivery on the second item as the buyer seems rather awkward.
  • Buyer is trying it on with you and glad to see you've learned how to Block Buyers.

    MY TIP: get receipt of posting for ALL dispatches and, if any query, then at least u have item number (Session Prefix), date/time of posting, quantity, weight, post method and postcode as confirmation of posting.

    Happened to me for 1st time this year as lo-ng est'd ebayer (over 10 years) and turned out Buyer had moved flats and forgotten to update address on Paypal as well as ebay! On my checking with buyer's local sorting office, (cos Buyer getting stroppy), found out what had happened and contacted buyer to check at old address, where it still was. Gained v. positive feedback from Buyer as result of going to such trouble to trace parcel.

    Hope this helps
  • cyberbob
    cyberbob Posts: 9,480 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I must admit I find standard parcels very random. Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 days other days it has taken nearly 2 weeks
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